The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has encouraged local government workers to step up agitation for local government autonomy to give the lawmakers the strength to make law that would give the councils financial autonomy to guarantee development at the grass root level.
Speaker Dogara, who spoke when he received in audience in his office, the national executive members of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), said that the House is working on the issue in the ongoing constitution alteration exercise.
According to him, no progress can be achieved in the local government if the present status quo of interference and administration by state governors is retained, adding that local governments must be financially and politically autonomous to trigger development in the rural areas.
“It is a responsibility all of us owe to our people. As a matter of fact, we are not even doing it for you, we are doing it for the Nigerian people.”
The speaker said that some governors who opposed local government autonomy are of the view that local governments will collapse if their administration is handed over to the elected chairmen, arguing however that state governors would have “extricated themselves from blame if they let local governments free.”
He said that the House had chosen to ensure that the ongoing Constitution Amendment exercise captured the yearnings of millions of Nigerians for development in the grassroots.
“For us as representatives of the people, we have heard the cry of the people and we know that the only way we can add value to local government is by giving them political and financial independence. This will expand opportunites in the grassroots”, he added.
Earlier, the delegation from NULGE commended the Speaker for leading the campaign and advocacy for local government autonomy and described him as a patriot and statesman.
He called on the speaker to ensure that the ongoing Constitution Amendment captured local government autonomy and that he should involve all stakeholders that can bring it to fruition, including President Muhammadu Buhari, who they said is in the best position to ensure that governors stopped violation of the constitutionally provided roles of local government officials.
National president of NULGE, Ibrahim Khaleel, also appealed to the Speaker to pass their agitations to President Buhari whom they said is in the best position to rally for the support of state governors.
“You have the capacity as speaker of this House, together with your team, to make Mr President understand that it is only him and only him that can change the situation.
“No amount of agitation or campaign can change the minds of the governors. When he calls the governors and speakers of the House of Assembly, he can make the difference.” [myad]
